THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD - PART 229

The question asked in Acts 2 is pivotal. What must we do? Think of it this way. If you knowingly and without evidence convicted someone of a crime - a total miscarriage of justice on your part - then (hopefully) you would have many sleepless nights along with guilt laden days. This is similar to the example outlined in the scriptures in Acts 2.

In this latter case, the audience listened to the address presented by the 12 apostles. Note that the apostles were also not without guilt for in the process, they also hid for fear of the frenzied mob. But I digress. In the presentation, the apostles preached from the scriptures that by their/our committing this crime they had in actuality fulfilled the prophecies uttered by prophets from an earlier time.

For this audience to hear that they were the fulfillers of prophetic prophecies added weight to their already awakened conscience of yet deeper guilt feelings. Why? Because now they are being told that they were willing participants in condoning Jesus' death. And they could not do as Pilate the judge had done. That is, walked away after washing his hands. No there is not as of yet a soap which can remove guilt or sin. Nevertheless, for the last 53 days lived with their conscience.

There is an old saying. You might have heard it to. It goes like this. Be sure hidden sin will find you out or maybe it will take a death bed confession before one appears before the white throne of God. It is from this perspective that the question is so important.

What must we do? They had already killed by crucifixion the Lord of Glory! Should they push the panic button? Run and hide? After all that is what Adam and Eve did. Run and hide. But they did not run quite far enough and as we read in Genesis, their hiding place was inadequate. God found them and put them out of the Eden garden, cursed. They were equipped only with the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and a promise of God that a seed of a woman would bruise the serpent’s (Satan’s) head. (Prophetically speaking, the scriptures were referring to redemption in JESUS)

For disobedience to God's Word (these recorded things have become theirs and our fate) for we are their offspring. They are our roots and if the root is evil so will the offspring be evil. The fruit of that tree prone to sin.

But the offspring outdone Adam and Eve’s sin. They had reached the pinnacle of sin. These people had crucified the Lord of Glory. Now, listening to the apostles, they were consciously saying to themselves, How shall we escape? Therefore they, in desperation cried out to the apostles, “What shall we do?”

Well, today we are sort of in the same boat as they were in. For they also were like you and me. Adam’s offspring. So the question is, like these people listening to the apostles, are we crucifying JESUS the Lord of Glory too? Remember, JESUS said that he that is not for me in their heart must be against me. He also said "My sheep hear my voice and they follow me."

It is for this reason that redemption is available to all - a free gift from God. What shall you do? God bless!